The Perfect Scrambled Eggs: Mastering The Pan Technique

Scrambled eggs are a breakfast staple, but they can be a little tricky to get right. Too much heat or overcooking can leave them tough and rubbery, so it's important to get the technique down. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to make perfect scrambled eggs every time.

Beat the eggs first

Before you start cooking, you'll want to beat the eggs. Place them in a medium bowl and use a whisk or fork to beat them until the yolk and whites are thoroughly combined and you have a nice frothy liquid. You can also add a pinch of salt to the bowl, as this will make your scrambled eggs more tender. If you like your scrambled eggs with a little extra flavour, you can also add milk, plant milk, water, or even a small amount of cornstarch to the bowl and whisk again.

Once you've beaten the eggs, you can gently preheat your pan. Brush a small nonstick skillet with olive oil or melt a little butter inside it. Warm the skillet over medium heat.

Now you're ready to cook! Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let it cook for a few seconds, undisturbed. Then, use a rubber spatula to form soft curds of scrambled egg. For larger curds, let the eggs set a little longer. For smaller curds, stir more frequently. Keep cooking over medium-low heat, folding and stirring the eggs every few seconds, and making sure to scrape the spatula along the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent the eggs from drying out.

Use butter or oil

When making scrambled eggs, you can use either butter or oil to grease the pan. Butter will add flavour to your eggs, but if you're cooking over high heat, a high smoke point oil is best, as butter is more likely to burn. If you're using butter, melt it in the pan first and swirl it around until it coats the pan. If it starts to foam and brown, take the pan off the heat and let it cool. If you're using oil, heat it in the pan first, then add your eggs.

If you're using butter, you can add it to the pan before or after you've heated it. If you add it before, you'll need to heat the pan over medium heat until the butter is bubbling. If you add it after, you'll need to heat the pan over medium-low heat. Either way, make sure the butter has melted and is coating the pan before you add your eggs.

If you're using oil, heat the pan over medium heat, then add your oil. Swirl the pan to coat it with oil, then add your eggs.

When it comes to choosing between butter or oil, it's a matter of personal preference. Butter will add flavour to your eggs, but oil has a higher smoke point, so it's less likely to burn. Ultimately, the most important thing is to use enough fat to prevent your eggs from sticking to the pan.

Cook on low heat

Cooking scrambled eggs on low heat is a great way to ensure they come out creamy and tender. It's a more forgiving method than cooking on high heat, which can quickly turn your eggs rubbery and tough.

To cook scrambled eggs on low heat, start by melting a tablespoon of butter in your non-stick pan over medium-low heat. You want to make sure the butter melts and coats the pan, but be careful not to let it brown. If it does, you'll need to start over with fresh butter.

Next, gently pour your beaten eggs into the pan. Allow the eggs to heat slightly—you'll see them start to turn opaque. If they're setting too quickly, turn the heat down further. It's important to maintain gentle heat to achieve that creamy texture.

Now, use your spatula to move the eggs across the pan, forming soft curds. For larger curds, let the eggs set a little longer before stirring. If you prefer smaller curds, stir more frequently. Keep the eggs moving constantly, as this is key to getting light, tender scrambled eggs.

Finally, when the eggs are almost done to your liking, remove the pan from the heat. The residual heat will finish cooking the eggs, so be sure to serve them immediately.

And that's it! You now have perfectly creamy, tender scrambled eggs.

Stir continuously

Once you've poured the egg mixture into the pan, it's time to start stirring. Use a spatula to gently push the eggs across the bottom of the pan, forming soft curds as they cook. The size of the curds will depend on your preference: for larger curds, let the eggs set for a little longer before stirring, and for smaller curds, stir more frequently.

It's important to keep the eggs moving to prevent them from drying out or becoming rubbery. Stir continuously until there is no more liquid egg in the pan, but be sure to remove the eggs from the heat just before they appear dry. This ensures that they remain soft and creamy.

If you're adding any mix-ins like cheese, herbs, or meat, do so towards the end of the cooking process when the eggs are almost set. This will allow the residual heat to melt the cheese or warm through the other ingredients without overcooking the eggs.

Remember, the key to light and tender scrambled eggs is a long, slow cook with constant movement.

Add milk or cream

Adding milk or cream to your scrambled eggs is a great way to make them extra creamy and rich in flavour, and prevent them from drying out. This is especially useful if you're cooking a large batch of eggs.

However, don't overdo it! A tablespoon or two per two eggs is usually enough. You don't want to add so much that it dilutes the eggs' flavour and makes them too soft.

If you don't have milk or cream, you can also use water to achieve a similar effect. This will make your scrambled eggs fluffier.

Some people also like to add a dollop of Greek yoghurt to their scrambled eggs, which will also make them fluffier and richer, with a pleasant tangy flavour.

Frequently asked questions